An Examination of the Golf Vacation Package-Purchase Decision: A Case Study in the U. S. Gulf Coast Region

ABSTRACT The hospitality and tourism industry accounts for nearly 22 percent of the large U.S. golf economy. Of all golf-related trips, golf vacation trips represent the largest category. Golf vacation packages are an important promotional tool used by marketers to attract more golfers to a particular destination, especially during the off-peak seasons (i.e. non-summer seasons). Thirty in-depth, personal interviews were conducted among male golfers along the Alabama Gulf Coast, primarily to identify important factors associated with the golf vacation package-purchase decision. The findings indicate that vacationing golfers seek to reduce the inherent risks associated with their golf vacation purchase by initially relying heavily on word-of-mouth communications and later on their own experiences. Important factors in selecting (or not selecting) a golf vacation package include: weather; golf course availability/accessibility; perceived value; restaurants and nightlife; time constraints. The theoretical framework involves service convenience, which is seen as an important overriding consideration in the purchase decision. Related hypotheses are developed. Managerial implications and possible directions for future research are discussed.